At Eternity's End: The New World
by The Clawed Butterfly
Summary: Sequel to At Eternity's End: They'd managed to save both Lucis and Gran Pulse from the fates declared by the divine. Lightning has finally reunited with her friends and Noctis has gotten Lucis a crystal. How are their destinies still intertwined?
1. To Be Free

**_A/N: Welcome to the sequel of At Eternity's End! This starts off at the end of Lightning Returns and the end of Final Fantasy XV, so expect some spoilers...and fluffiness!_**

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><p><em>Who are you?<em>

Noctis could no longer count the number of times he'd asked the painting of Etro that. He'd hoped again and again that it would be Lightning's voice that would call back to him, though she'd only ever echoed his question in his dreams before. This time, only silence answered him.

He waited just a minute longer before turning away.

Days, weeks, months had passed since the pink-haired knight had left – saved – Lucis. He wasn't entirely sure how she'd done it, but he knew in his heart that it involved her becoming crystal and returning to the Unseen Realm. That was how and where he'd first met her, after all.

And ever since she'd gone away, the prince had felt unbearably restless.

He would find himself pacing the library floors, flipping through countless of pages without really reading any of the text on them.

He would think of many excuses so as not to have the guest room tidied up by the house help.

And he would constantly visit the crystal chamber where he had last seen Etro's champion.

That was exactly what he was doing right now.

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><p>The monarch lifted a hand to trace one of the rose petals with his finger. It felt both warm and cold to the touch.<p>

_Are you doing well?_

_Were you finally able to save your sister?_

He never spoke her name out loud. He believed that if he did, he would have to come to terms with the fact that she was never coming back. Somehow, he didn't think he was ready for that just yet.

He was being childish, he knew. Running away from reality never benefited anyone. It especially didn't fill up the hole in his heart.

With all of the time he had to mull over things in the crystal room, he'd come to realise several truths. One was that the hole in his heart had not originally been this...gaping.

It had started off tiny with the death of his mother. While he never really got to know her, it still hurt growing up without having a maternal figure to guide him, love him.

The hole then grew bigger when he lost his father. He could never forget the pain of being unable to protect his only remaining blood relative from the enemy. It had been that same pain that had kept him going on his path for revenge.

And it was on that very same bloody and bitter path on which he lost yet another important person – his childhood friend, Stella.

Though he hadn't trusted her in the beginning, she had proven herself to him by helping him again and again. He'd been thankful for her presence, but he'd never really thought of the risks she'd be in. In the end, she had died by his side, like many others.

Having lost the crystal they'd all been trying hard to protect, Noctis had felt that he had failed everyone.

_You've more than atoned for your sins. It's about time you stop beating yourself up inside._

_You were able to protect Lucis in the end. You've even given us another crystal._

_You did good. I'm sure everyone would be proud._

The words of his friends echoed in his mind. He was supposed to feel happy. He'd managed to get what they had all wished for, after all.

Instead, he felt even more empty than before.

It had taken Lightning's leaving for him to realise that she had become a valuable part of his being. In the months they'd spent together, he'd never felt more human...and whole. He would be forever thankful that he got to meet her.

But now she was gone. She had returned to where she truly belonged. She was most probably doing just fine without him.

While he...he just wanted to see her one more time. He never did get to thank her for everything she'd done.

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><p><em>Meanwhile...<em>

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><p>Pale blue eyes reflected the scenery outside the window as the train she was riding rushed by.<p>

Lightning had just refused an interview with a reporter who was interested about memories of "another world". After all she had been through, she figured that that kind of information was something the new world would be better off without.

She believed that it was best to just let the past be and focus more on the future.

She was currently headed to a place called _Blanc-Château_. Of what she heard of it, it was a village where people could enjoy nature yet still be connected to the rest of the world. Somehow, it reminded her of Bodhum and it made perfect sense that it would be where she could finally, finally, _finally_ be reunited with her friends.

She and the others had been fighting for way too long, it seemed. They had experienced and endured many painful things and more than deserved to live in peace.

As she stepped off the train, she finally let reality sink in.

She and those who mattered to her were, at last, _free_.

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><p><strong><em>I'd first posted this as the 23rd chapter of AEE but decided to make it a separate story because several things are to happen after. How do you like it? I really wanna know! :)<em>**


	2. To Be Relaxed

_**A/N: I'm aiming to get this done before the release of the FFXV game so I won't be bothered to make changes along the way.**_

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><p>The people of his world had two nicknames for their planet. One was <em>Second Gran Pulse<em> and the other was _Second Nova Chrysalia_. This was because there were several individuals who claimed to have memories of another world. There were even news reports about the subject. Most of them were written by a well-known correspondent named Aoede.

Noctis was not the type to be interested on past lives and other supernatural incidences. He had many 'magical' things going on in his life already. One of these was Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus forcing him to go on a long vacation. They had even booked his accommodation, plotted out his itinerary, and packed his luggage for him. As much as he wanted to resist, they were right – he really did need a break.

He had not been getting much sleep as of late, which made him rather irritable towards not only his friends but also to the royal council. That led to things not getting done, which spelt bad for the kingdom. So, he gave in to their requests and went off on holiday to some country on the other side of the planet.

It was his first time travelling alone. Though he had been a bit hesitant when he left the castle, he felt better now that he'd finally arrived at his destination. Plus, he was sure he could rely on his friends to attend to Lucis while he was away.

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><p>His first stop was his accommodation.<p>

It was a quaint bed and breakfast which was painted a caramel brown and stood three storeys tall. Surrounding it was a garden of flowers that was enclosed by a white picket fence. From outside, it looked rather homey and he understood why his friends chose it for his stay. Etro knows he could use some rest and relaxation.

When he stepped inside, he found a guy wearing a hoodie manning the receptionist desk. He asked him about his reservations and was immediately whisked to his room.

He soon found out that he was going to stay in what the establishment called their VIP suite. While the chamber was not as luxurious as the condo-type units offered by huge hotel chains, it had enough space to hold several pieces of furniture including a bed, a dresser, a sofa, a coffee table, and a television set. A door near the chest of drawers led to an en suite bathroom with a tub and shower among other amenities.

After being given information about room service and guided tours, he was promptly left to tend to his own devices. And he got right to it by putting away his clothes and informing his friends of his safe arrival.

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><p>As it was already well into the afternoon, Noctis decided that he would just go for a walk around the neighbourhood. Then, he would return in time for dinner and after which he would get some rest from the long trip. Visiting attractions and participating in other activities would have to wait until the next day.<p>

His destination was everything that everyone loved about the countryside. The air was fresh, there were plenty of trees, the houses were beautiful, and the community was close-knit.

He stretched out his arms and took a deep breath as he walked down the road from the inn. He passed by a group of children who were playing tag and an old couple who were trimming the bushes on their front yard. A small smile found its way to his lips as he enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of having no escorts, and no enemies either.

After ambling down a few blocks, he plopped down on a sidewalk bench and proceeded to watch those who were walking by. There were teenage girls who giggled and gave him a few glances. There were dog owners who were either walking or playing with their pets. There were couples who held hands and whispered to each other. There were plenty of interesting people for him to watch and so he spent most of the time before dinner doing just that.

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><p>Just as Noctis stood up from the bench, he bumped into someone who seemed familiar. After muttering a quick apology, he realised that it was the receptionist at the bed and breakfast. He was accompanied by an olive-skinned woman with dark hair.<p>

"Oh! Hey there! You headed back?"

The prince nodded and they all walked to the B&B together. The journey back was silent at first then his companions introduced themselves and began peppering him with questions. They were mostly about where he was from and why he decided to go on vacation at such a faraway place.

The monarch answered them as best as he could without sharing that he was a royal. He didn't want people to start fluttering around him. He just wanted to relax. He didn't bring any escorts for that sole reason.

"So, were you able to visit any of the attractions?"

"Uh, no. I'm planning to do so tomorrow though."

"Well, we have someone who could act as a tour guide, if you're interested."

They were just a stone's throw away from the entrance of the inn as the Caelum stopped to consider their offer.

"Hmm. Well-"

"Talking about our guide, there she is."

The dark-skinned woman had turned to the direction opposite to where they had come from.

"Hey there, Sunshine! Meet our new guest. You'll be giving him a tour starting tomorrow."

The moment the person approaching them entered his line of sight, Noctis felt like the world was moving in slow motion.

For a moment he thought that he was hallucinating, that he was only imagining things. But the way she frowned at the woman beside him, the way she crossed her arms on her chest, the way she trained her pale blue eyes on him . . . they were all too real.

"Right. Noct, this is-"

He blurted out her name without thinking, taking all of them by surprise.

"Lightning."

To which the pink-haired woman before him only raised her eyebrow and said...

"...Who are you?"

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><p><strong><em>I'm getting these ideas in my head about making this story an M sometime in the future. Hahahaha. What do you guys think?<em>**


	3. To Be Introduced

_**A/N: I'm striving to update this at least once a week *crosses fingers***_

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><p>"...Who are you?"<p>

Noctis Lucis Caelum was the type of person who liked to keep his wits about him as much as possible. Though he had to admit that he had been rather brash and naïve in his younger years, he'd grown up now. Thus, he believed that he was capable of thinking his way out of all types of things with minimal to no damage on his person, mental or otherwise. Unfortunately for him, his brain chose that exact moment to shut down.

* Silence *

After a short pause, he felt the dark-skinned woman casually sling an arm over his shoulders. He remembered that she had introduced herself as Fang earlier.

_Aha! He remembered!_ That was a good sign that his grey matter was slowly starting to reboot.

"Oh, you know our little piece of sunshine?"

"Uh, I-"

He looked at Lightning questioningly. He wasn't entirely sure if she was being serious or just pulling his leg. She had her poker face on, after all. He even half-hoped that she'd say she was only joking then proceed to introduce him to her friends. But it didn't seem like that was going to happen, so he made a decision.

"...No. I've only heard of her before. This is...my first time meeting her."

His heart clenched a little as he said those words. He only hoped that he wouldn't regret them later.

"How about we all head inside for now? We can continue our introductions there."

The guy with the hoodie—he'd said his name was Yuj—directed everyone to the entrance of the inn.

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><p>Unfortunately for the prince, he was not given the chance to speak with Light any further. As upon entering the bed and breakfast, he had been quickly ushered by a redhead in pigtails into the dining room.<p>

"Please have a seat! Here's our menu for dinner tonight! We have different offerings every evening! Would you like me to give you details about any of our dishes?"

As he had been somewhat caught by surprise, the Caelum just allowed the girl to seat him at one of the tables in the middle of the dining area. He also gingerly accepted the carte du jour that was handed to him.

Fang, who had taken a seat across him, snickered once he had finally opened the menu.

"Would you slow down, Vanille? He's gonna get whiplash!"

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"Anyway, I'll have some of Lebreau's steak with lots of mashed potatoes on the side."

"Alrighty! The regular then."

Fang then directed a toothy grin at Noctis while he continued to scan through the list of dishes.

"Our cook is pretty good so order anything ya want. I'm sure ya'll love it."

"...I guess I'll have the roasted chicken with gravy. And the vegetable salad please."

Vanille jotted down their orders with a nod before turning back to them to ask about their refreshments.

"Beer for me."

"A glass of iced tea please."

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><p>The dining area was actually quite lovely. Violet curtains framed the glass windows while black and white chequered cloths covered the wooden tables. Though no chandeliers hung from the ceiling, mason jar lanterns gave the room a warm and comfortable ambiance. It was a wonderful place to bond with friends and family while feasting on a variety of delicious dishes. Noctis was unable to enjoy the environment nor the food though as he was rather distracted by something—or, rather, <em>someone<em>.

Earlier, he had spotted Lightning having supper at a corner table. She was joined by a silver-haired teenage boy along with two other individuals, one middle-aged and the other a child, who both sported afros.

Even though Fang tried to keep him entertained by bombarding him with facts about the village, he couldn't help but keep on stealing glances at Light. Every now and then, his dinner companion would ask him a question which he would gracefully answer without revealing much of himself. He wasn't entirely sure how much he could trust the people around him, after all. While he knew he could rely on Etro's Champion, from the look of things, she didn't even remember him one bit.

The Caelum let out a small sigh as he continued to poke at the remnants of his salad.

This didn't go unnoticed by Fang, who had been casually observing him the whole time. She certainly hadn't missed how his eyes constantly landed on her friend, even as he strived to appear interested on their conversation.

"You interested in visiting any of the attractions I told ya about?"

"Yes, I think. I mean, why not?" This was followed by another sign from the monarch.

Oerba Yun Fang then fought back a teasing remark that was bubbling in her throat as she watched the man across her slowly rise from their table. The said man then excused himself saying that he was going to retire for the night.

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><p>In his peripheral vision, Hope saw Fang saunter over to their table with a small smirk on her face. From their many years of acquaintance, he knew better than to question what was behind her facial expression. That was because he knew she would tell them, whether they asked her or not.<p>

The first thing she said was, "You sure are something, aren't ya, Sunshine?"

The Farron just scoffed then sipped on her glass of cola.

"Anyway, you got a guided tour to do tomorrow. With the VIP."

Hope had been rather curious about their important guest initially, but he didn't want to poke around other people's business. So, he decided to just let the guy be. Maybe he was like many of their other guests in the past. Nothing special.

"He didn't say what time you'll head out, but ya know the drill. Make sure ya take really good care of Mr. Caelum, yeah? And I mean really good care."

"Fang, shut up."

Okay, Hope was _really_ curious about their VIP now. Who cares if people will think of him as a gossip, right?

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><p><em><strong>AN: Just a brief interlude before the many things to come. Also had to get some of the character introductions out of the way. Whew~ Are you guys expecting anything in future chapters? Let me know and I'll see what I can do. ehehe~**_


	4. To Be Advised

_**A/N: A few more character introductions to get out of the way.**_

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><p>His feet fell into a dull rhythm as he trailed after her on the footpath. He and his pink-haired guide were currently meandering through a meadow full of sweet-smelling lilies in what Lightning said was the first part of his tour. As he had been forewarned that they were going to spend a good part of their morning walking, he allowed his mind to stray for a while on the events that occurred earlier that day...<p>

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><p><em>He had risen at dawn, just in time to catch the breathtaking view of the sunrise on the horizon. He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air then forced his protesting body to perform a few basic stretches. Yet as much as he wished that his exercise routine would help him feel even a teeny bit rejuvenated, it did not. He had, after all, spent the last few hours tossing and turning on the bed before giving in to bouts of fitful sleep. So, he decided to head to the bathroom since he figured that a nice long shower would wake up his brain.<em>

_It took him a good thirty minutes before he exited the bath as he'd rather enjoyed standing under the spray of cold water. It took him fifteen more minutes to get dressed in some comfortable clothes and ensure that his hair looked somewhat decent. Yet another five minutes were spent dragging his feet from his room to the dining area._

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><p><em>The sight that greeted him there almost gave him a heart attack. You see, seated with her back to him was a pink-haired woman talking to a huge man with blonde hair. At first, he thought it was Light but upon closer inspection, the girl looked shorter and more...delicate. He assumed that it must be the younger sister whom he'd seen in a painting at the temple in La Tierra Santa.<em>

_He walked past the couple and sat at a corner table where a menu was lying face up. Just as he was starting to wonder if there were any members of the waiting staff who were awake, the woman he'd spotted earlier approached him with a welcoming smile._

"_Hi, I'm Serah and I'll be your server this morning. Have you decided what you'd like for breakfast?"_

_Noctis blinked up at her to note the similarities in the appearance between Lightning and her sister before he answered with a small smile of his own._

"_Uh, yes. I'd like to have the continental breakfast please."_

"_Alrighty! Your food will be ready in a few minutes."_

_He then watched his server head to the entrance of the kitchen before the blonde guy from earlier walked into view with a grin on his face._

"_Morning! I'm Snow! Here's today's newspaper."_

_He said a 'thank you' as he accepted the paper from the man who then nodded at him and sauntered back to the table he'd come from._

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><p><em>The prince had only been halfway through the second page when he heard people coming into the dining area. He'd assumed they were his fellow guests until Snow greeted them.<em>

"_Morning, Vanille!"_

"_G'morning!"_

"_Morning, Sis. So, did you get any real sleep last night?"_

_A sigh. "Can you get any louder, Snow?"_

_Her voice almost made him scrunch up the paper in his hands. It also took much of his self-control to stop himself from taking a peek. But just when he thought that he'd won against the urge to put down the newspaper, a familiar voice greeted him a good morning._

_He had no choice but to look up at the girl whom he'd heard was called Vanille. From the expression on her face, she seemed to be concerned about something. Noctis had no idea what made her anxious, nor how it involved him._

"_Do you mind if I join you?"_

_The Caelum nodded though he was starting to feel nervous about what the girl had to talk about. Thankfully, his server entered the picture with his warm plate of food._

"_Serah, great timing! I need your support on this one."_

"_Huh?"_

"_About—you know!"_

"_Oh! Right."_

_At that, his server proceeded to take a seat. Excellent. There were two ladies who wanted to talk to him now. He wondered how they would react if he slid under the table to hide their serious stares._

"_We met last night. I'm Vanille, by the way. I'm sure you know Serah. Nice to meet you!"_

_The girl extended a hand which the prince shook as he introduced himself._

"_Anyway, we'll just cut to the chase before the others realise what we're doing."_

"_Yes. Um, we heard that you have a guided tour scheduled today." Serah piped in._

"_And, well, we just wanted to make sure that you'd be...ready for it."_

_To that, a dark brow was raised urging the two women to continue._

"_We don't know where you may have heard—"_

"_Or read-"_

"_-about Lightning, but you need to know a few things."_

"_Uh-huh. One is that you're not the first."_

"_A lot of guys have come here before asking for her to be their tour guide, you know."_

"_And though other girls would appreciate the attention, Light isn't exactly...thrilled about having fans."_

"_Oh but that doesn't mean we want you to go away!"_

_Vanille nodded vigorously. "That's right. While we may have shooed away some guys before, you're, well, you're okay!"_

"_Yes. You're probably the only polite guy out of all who came."_

"_That's why. We'll give you some tips about our very own Lightning!"_

_And a long speech followed on how he should go about getting to know Lightning Farron._

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><p>Noctis smiled at the memory. Serah and Vanille certainly gave him a lot of pointers, but he wasn't sure if any of them could be applicable to his situation. He, after all, wasn't someone who'd met Light for the very first time. He'd journeyed with her, in a world that was new to both of them. He'd been able to watch her up close and personal for nearly a month. As far as getting to know her went, he felt that he knew enough. Then again, their bond <em>was<em> one-sided now.

Bringing his mind back to the present, the prince watched the pink-haired woman stop and turn to him. She was probably wondering what was keeping him. But he merely continued walking until he was only a foot away from her. His proximity caused one of her eyebrows to raise in question yet he said nothing. He merely kept on staring at her for a full minute, as if she was the most puzzling thing in the world.

A part of him really wanted to grab her and shake her until her memories returned. However, another part told him to silently keep his distance because . . . The prince shook his head and started walking again. There were certain things that he didn't want to think about at the moment.

As he passed his tour guide on the path, he didn't notice how her eyes followed him as she wondered why he felt so familiar to her.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Got a bit carried away. Whoops~**_


	5. To Be Stuck

_**A/N: Please pardon my pacing. Getting this particular chapter done was a huge pain. My mind kept jumping to the end part.**_

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><p>It was mid-afternoon when Lightning and Noctis finally reached their destination: Aruba Cave. Its entrance was found at the base of a hill which could only be accessed by foot through a meadow and a small forest. Though it did not seem like much from the outside, it was said to be breathtaking inside.<p>

The prince realised that his guide hadn't been exaggerating when she said the place was beautiful. He was only a dozen steps inside the cavern and already he was awed by the sight of many huge stalagmites and stalactites. These objects stood a bit taller than him and appeared to glisten in the light. Upon closer inspection, one could see that they had crystal specks embedded in them. Though the Caelum doubted that they imbued any power, they did make one feel like they were in a bejewelled wonderland.

As the roseate walked further into the cave, the brunette trailed after her. They just followed the direction of the tunnel, occasionally waving their torches around so as not to stumble in the dark. All the while Lighting explained how people had once wanted to mine in the cavern before it was turned into a heritage site. Noctis expressed that he was thankful as he was able to marvel at the natural beauty given by the gods.

Their short walk brought them to a dome-like area which featured a small lake surrounded by stalagmites. The tour guide pointed to the ceiling where there was a hole that allowed light to shine in and reflect off of the still waters. Everything just looked and felt so surreal to the prince. He half-expected to find a sword stabbed into the ground that could only be removed by "the chosen one".

All too suddenly, thunder crashed and resounded through the cave. This was soon followed by a torrent of rain that fell into the lake.

"Hmm. Seems we're stuck here until the rain lets up." The roseate commented.

Noctis just nodded and thought back to the grey clouds he had noticed earlier during their lunch break. While he had expected some precipitation today, he'd thought that it would be later that night given how far off the clouds had been. It seemed that he'd underestimated the wind.

"Might as well make ourselves comfortable." Lightning said as she dropped her bag on the ground and sat cross-legged beside a stalagmite. The Caelum simply followed suit.

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><p>"Over here!" Noctis called out to Light as he carried both of their bags in his arms. He scooted closer to the wall as he made some space for his tour guide in what he deemed was the only dry spot in the area.<p>

Both of them had drowsed off a bit while waiting for the chance to get out of the cave and head back to the village. Then the prince had been rudely awakened by the water that had seeped into the side of his pant leg. The moment he'd noticed the overflowing lake, he'd just grabbed their bags and roused his companion.

"What rotten luck." The woman huffed as she finally made her way to him.

The rain was still pouring and didn't look like it would stop any time soon. From what they could see of the hole in the ceiling, it seemed that the rain had caused the sides to crumble making more water fall into the already overflowing lake. What rotten luck indeed.

The spot they currently found themselves in was quite narrow so they stood close together as they both slung their bags over their shoulders and adjusted them to ride on their backs more comfortably.

"I'd hoped that we would be able to return early so that we could drop by the bakery as it's a local tourist attraction in itself."

"Well, there's always tomorrow, I suppose."

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><p>Lightning crossed her arms and stepped back as the water grew a little more closer. Noctis was practically sticking to the wall already so he couldn't give her any more space. As her back grazed his chest, he felt a blush quickly rising to his cheeks. He was immensely thankful that she wasn't be able to see it. That is until she turned to him with a very serious look on her face.<p>

"Who are you really?"

"...What?"

"You—where—hn."

The roseate rubbed her forehead like she had a headache, or at least an oncoming one. Then she rambled on.

"Yesterday, you said that it was our first time meeting."

"You said that you'd read about me somewhere. But with how you said my name-"

"I...feel like I know you. Just now, I even dozed off..."

Lightning grabbed Noctis' collar and glared at him.

"Who _are_ you!?"

The whole time, the prince just kept silent and hid under his bangs.

When the roseate finally let go, Noctis surprised her by grabbing her into a tight embrace.

"What-"

"Just for a little while. Please."

And Lightning let him, because for some reason his scent, a musky and somewhat spicy fragrance, seemed all too familiar to her. In the back of her mind, she saw herself being kept warm by a black zip-up shirt that smelled exactly the same.

_When was that? _She couldn't help but ask herself that.

She started to pull away but he kept her in his embrace as he looked down into her electric eyes. The expression on his face clearly stated how he wanted to tell her so many things yet for some reason couldn't. Just when she was about to ask him what was running through his head, his lips meet hers.

_Even this seems familiar, but why?_ Her mind was running a million thoughts per minute but she couldn't grasp any answers.

When he slanted his head to kiss her more deeply, her eyes fluttered shut and her brain simply started to shut down.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Do you find them too out of character? I'm so sorry! *foaming at the mouth***_


	6. To Be Cranky

_**A/N: Forgive me for not updating this story last week. I went on a short adventure in the mountains. Needed some inspiration.**  
><em>

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><p><em>It was magical, yet . . .<em>

He was the one who broke their kiss, slowly peeling away his lips from hers. He took a deep breath as his eyelashes fluttered open. For a brief moment, he revelled in the scent of roses and the sight of her up close. So it was with great reluctance that he unwound his arms from their tight embrace of her.

"...I'm sorry." Those were the first words he said after he stepped back and gave her some space. Somehow, he missed her already.

Lightning simply stood there staring at him. Her brain, which had now started back up, was trying to process what had just happened. A part of her wanted to smash her fist on his nose, but for some reason the strength never made it to her hand. Instead, she found herself glancing up to the hole in the ceiling.

"The rain has stopped."

She let her eyes meet his once again. In those dark depths, she clearly saw guilt along with another emotion, an emotion she refused to think about at that moment.

"I believe it would be best if we returned to the inn now, Mr. Noctis."

She turned away. With that single action, she dismissed what had occurred between them. Well, at least she tried to. As she took her first step away from him, she knew that the memory would taunt her the whole way home.

It did.

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><p>A great sigh of frustration escaped his lips as he ran his fingers through his hair. Rivulets of water were cascading down his tense body from the showerhead, washing away the dirt and grime that had stuck to his skin during his adventure earlier. He knew there was one thing that the water wouldn't be able to wash away though, that was the sensation of their kiss. Even if he would scrub his lips a hundred, no, a million times, he was certain that he'd still recall the heavenly feeling.<p>

It had only been the second time that they'd shared such an intimate act. Both in a cave. The first had been an accident, but it certainly sparked a fire in his heart. He could only imagine how overwhelming it would be if he could kiss her everyday. He would most probably be driven to a state of nirvana.

He turned the knob to stop the shower and reached for one of the towels hanging on the rack. While he patted himself dry, he began to wonder how the rest of his tour would go now that...yeah. Their journey back had not been the most social of activities, after all. Awkward silence: that had been what made up most of it. It had only been broken when they arrived at the entrance to the inn when Light instructed him to be ready by 7 the next day.

He let out another great sigh. He figured that his best move at the moment would be to do as he was told.

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><p>Surprisingly, the rest of his tour went rather smoothly. He was quite impressed with how Lightning remained very professional the whole time. She described every attraction that they visited with a clear voice which was never tense nor indifferent. Also, she responded to him whenever he asked something or made a comment.<p>

While all of this made him feel somewhat relieved, he couldn't help but be a tad disappointed that she could easily brush off something that was a huge deal for him. He supposed that he should just be thankful that she didn't beat him up. He really didn't want to be on her bad side, especially when he wasn't sure if she'd be able to recover her memories of him or not. If worse came to worst, he needed to leave a good impression if he wanted to be close to her again somehow.

At the moment, his only plan of helping her remember was closely observing her movements and casually asking about her life. It was rather similar to how he'd gotten to know her in the beginning. He believed that familiar things would be able to jog her neurons. He just had to ensure to take things slowly so as not to make a mess of things. That's right, he had to avoid sudden or weird actions (like spontaneous hugging and kissing) at all costs.

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><p>On the final day of his trip, he woke up feeling like a zombie. He'd been quite anxious the night before as he'd seen no progress of Lightning recalling him <em>at all<em>. As much as he wanted to extend his holiday, he knew he couldn't put off his royal duties any longer. He had more than his own life to think about, after all. His friends were coming to pick him up later that day.

He was immersed in his thoughts as he headed for the dining room that it wasn't until he was at the threshold that he noticed a commotion inside. A man, who appeared to be drunk out of his mind, was rudely going off about his rights, his money, and someone acting all high and mighty. He was rather loud and seemed to be at the verge of flipping a few tables.

Noctis wasn't the type to meddle in the affairs of other people. But he was feeling cranky that day. Plus when he saw that the drunk was speaking—or more like shouting—at Lightning, he felt compelled to interfere.

"Ev'ry other week *hiccup* I come 'ere every other week! *hiccup* And ya still act all ice queen-y!"

The man grabbed Lightning's arm and gave her a rough shake. The prince wondered why she didn't send the guy flying when he realised that the other patrons had begun to come down for breakfast. A fight breaking out would be really bad for business. He stepped in the one-sided fray.

"Uh, hi. It's too early for this, don't you think?"

He suddenly found himself at the receiving end of the drunk's glare. He returned it with what he hoped looked like a pacifying smile. He got his collar grabbed for the effort.

"*hiccup* Who're you?"

Before the Caelum could get a word in edgewise, the guy slurred on.

"Tourist? *hiccup* Got her as yer _guide_ too? HA! *hiccup* Well, I gotta her first!"

The man started to roughly shake him with every sentence that followed.

"Been coming 'ere ev'ry other week! *hiccup* Paid lotsa money ta always have 'er gimme a tour, yeah. *hiccup* She's mine!"

He was thrown to a table, which was painful, but he knew he would live. He had been through worse. He wasn't entirely sure that he could keep his cool though. That last sentence got him worked up.

He huffed as the drunk loomed over him. It seemed that the guy wasn't done yet. Noctis hoped there wouldn't be a lot of damage done on the furniture later. Then again, he could always ask Ignis to have them replaced if necessary.

"She don't need ya. *hiccup* So go back to whichever hole ya crawled outta. *hiccup* Ya don't even deserve to look at her!"

_Okay, the bastard was seriously pissing him off._

Lightning kicked the man's legs from under him and Noctis took the chance to grab the guy's arm and twist it around his back.

"Now listen here. No one should be stupid enough to be this plastered this early in the morning."

He slammed the man's face against the wall as he roared out.

"And you should be the one to stay away from _**my wife**_!"

...So much for his plan to avoid all types of sudden or weird actions around Lightning.

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><p><em><strong>Note: Do you think the pace is too fast or is that the right amount of action in a chapter for you? I seriously need your input, people! :(<strong>_


	7. To Be Interrogated

_**A/N: Not only is it late, it's shorter too. I'm sorry.**_

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><p>"I'm sorry."<p>

How many times had he apologised by then? The truth is, he can no longer remember. Not when Lightning was practically breathing down his neck as he carried his luggage to the foyer.

"So you just made it up?"

Her arms were crossed over her chest as she huffed and puffed about what he blurted out in the dining room earlier. What he said was stupid, he couldn't deny that. He was just thankful that the drunk left right after, even though it was with the threat that he would spread the news of Light's "married status". As many of the customers were single men looking to luck out, that would be problem. And THAT was why the pinkette seemed like she wanted to seriously throttle the prince.

When Noctis finally turned to her with a huge sigh, she had already begun tapping her left foot in impatience.

"I can't...tell you right now."

"Oh? And why is that?"

Who knew a person's eyebrow could be raised as high as that?

"It's just that-"

"LIGHTNING!?"

Both the brunette and the roseate turned to the newcomer who was gaping like a fish at the entrance of the inn. It was Prompto, and he seemed like he wanted to say more but Noctis kept on signalling him to keep quiet and that he would explain later.

It was only a few moments after that Ignis and Gladiolus arrived. Though they clearly looked surprised as well, they managed to understand the current situation and dragged Prompto out by his collar.

"It seems that your friends recognise me as well."

He could totally see a nerve ticking on her forehead.

"Well..."

He cleared his throat.

"Perhaps they do, okay? But I can't—I can't tell you why. Not here, not right now."

That was the second time that day that he got his collar grabbed. From the way things were going, he would need to have his shirt replaced soon.

"I swear to Etro if you don't-!"

"Light, please. Please hear me out."

"Dammit! When you say my name like that, it's like I can hear an echo in the back of my head!"

She had begun pacing the lobby like a predator on the prowl. He really didn't want to be the prey, but it was too late to complain about that.

"I'll tell you. But on one condition."

Doubt filled her eyes as she glared at him. He understood, of course. In her eyes, they were barely acquainted.

"Come to Lucis. You'll find out there."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a plain black access card, one of which only five were ever made. They were manufactured solely for distribution to those who were considered close friends with the prince. But she didn't need to know that. He wanted to live through their meeting, after all.

He handed over the card along with a piece of paper on which he scribbled the address to the palace.

"...Just tell them that you want to see me."

She flipped over the card but there was nothing there to give her any clues to who Noctis was.

"...I'll think about it."

With a slight nod, the brunette turned and walked away.

The hand that was carrying his bag was shaking and his breathing was off, but he hoped that the roseate wouldn't notice any of it. He was the crown prince and soon-to-be king of Lucis. He had been trained since birth to face almost all types of people. But in front of her, he always seemed to be just like every other ordinary man.

With no title or crown to hide behind, he was absolutely terrified. _What if she decided that he wasn't worth it? What if she didn't want to know, in the end?_ All those unanswered questions made his blood turn cold.

_What if he never got to see her again?_ He already lost her once. The first time had not been because of any of his actions, but this time it would be. Would he be able to take it? _Would he?_

His luggage thudded to the ground as he made an abrupt one-eighty. With an unreadable expression in his eyes, he marched right back up to her. And before she could even react, he had grabbed her face to roughly kiss her.

As suddenly as he locked his lips with hers, he went away again. With wide eyes, Lightning simply watched him hurriedly grab his bag and jog out of the bed and breakfast.

All the while, Noctis could only think..._that's how she tastes, that's how she smells_. If that was the last time they would meet, then he had something to remember. _He would make sure to remember._

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><p><em><strong>AN: Noctis sounds like some stalker, I know. XD**_


	8. To Be Hesitant

_**A/N: A brief, yet somewhat sweet, interlude. Things have been quite...'busy' lately so I can't update as much as I would want to.**_

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><p>Eyelashes a dark shade of pink fluttered against pale cheeks like butterflies. Eyes a breathtaking mix of electric blue and sea green took in the sunlight that came in through the windows. Finally, a sigh that was part yawn escaped full lips.<p>

Another morning, another day.

She stretched languidly to get rid of the minor kinks in her body. The major ones she was going to address in her morning exercise routine. However, just as she tried to prop herself up on her elbows, the arm that had been slung on her stomach brought her in for an embrace. She then found herself held to a toned chest that smelled spicy and distinctly male.

"Time to get up," she said as she flicked his collarbone.

"Three minutes," he mumbled in reply, not even flinching.

With a roll of her eyes, she pushed away from him. Or at least she tried to. He had nimbly rolled their bodies so that he would lay atop her. His sleepy blue eyes looked down into her own as a soft smile crept its way onto his lips.

"Good morning," he said as he slowly closed the distance between them.

"Morning," she replied as his breath ghosted over her lips.

Her eyes fell shut...

Then Lightning woke up.

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><p>Sleep was a luxury that she rarely had the chance to enjoy. Even during her crystal stasis, she did not feel well-rested. Though she'd had no dreams, she'd heard voices calling out to her.<p>

Now that the situation involving Bhunivelze and other gods and goddesses was over, she'd thought that she would finally be able to relax. How wrong she was as things seem to have gotten a lot worse now. She was practically an insomniac! Plus, whenever she got the chance to actually get some shut-eye, she would be plagued by the oddest of dreams about a certain brunette.

She was just thankful that her body was trained to function properly even on very few hours of rest.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere?" Serah asked her as she spread blueberry jam on a buttered toast.

"I don't have any tours booked this morning," she answered before taking a bite of her breakfast.

"You know that's not what I'm talking about, Light," the younger Farron giggled then took a sip of tea.

"That guy..."

"Feels familiar to you, I know."

"I don't want to drag you into another mess—"

"How do you even know it's another mess?"

"Even without seeing them for myself, I know that guy has powers. I'm not sure how, I just do."

"All the more you should see him, don't you think? Even if it's just to tell if he's dangerous or not."

In the back of her mind, Lightning felt certain that he was not. At least not to her or to any of the people around her. She didn't know where that came from, but she was compelled to trust Noctis.

She had to know why he brought out such thoughts.

_No. No no no._ She couldn't afford to get Serah and the others involved in any trouble again.

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><p>The following day, she stepped out of the cab she'd hired to bring her to the address written on the paper. The sight in front of her didn't seem new to her. It was like she had seen the façade of the imposing structure before. Yet she simply shrugged off the feeling. She already had too many things to think about.<p>

The place was more of a fortress than anything. Briefly Lightning wondered what kind of stuff Noctis hid away from the world that such a huge building had to be erected. Did they have a pile of jewels in there or something?

Before her imagination could get the best of her, she strode towards what appeared to be the pedestrian entrance to the premises. Though she still felt hesitant, she knew Serah was right about getting some answers. If he had tampered with her memories or anything of the sort...

"Halt. Only authorised individuals are allowed to proceed," one of the guards warned her when she was about three feet away.

She slowly reached into her pocket to bring out the access card. She then raised both her hands to show that it was the only item in her grasp.

The security personnel gestured for her to approach the module right beside the gate. It was some sort of scanner. She swiped the card on the top and a series of beeps were heard.

The gate swung open.

"Would you like us to announce your arrival, Ma'am?" the same guard asked her.

"Just tell whoever they are that I want to speak with Noctis."

There was a brief pause before the guard spoke into his communication device. "Sir, there is someone here who wishes to have an audience with His Highness. She has the VIP pass."

_His...Highness!?_

What had she gotten herself into?

Perhaps the thing about a pile of jewels was not as far off as she thought.

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><p><strong><em>Note: Well, at least she's finally at Lucis, right? Whew~ A loved one is in the ICU and things are dire, so I'm not sure when I will update again. <em>**


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